johnson



(N0 MorfeiJ) T C JOHNSON BOX MAGAZINE FIREARM.

' Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. U. JOHNSON. BOX MAGAZINE FIREARM.

Improvement in' Breech-Loadi to and exact description of the sa :5 improved features of and showing the deflecting-flange of the bartired or closed ing the forwar with and coact with the inner face 5 the box-magazine to prevent box UNITED STATES THOMAS -.C. JOHNSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TING ARMS VINCHESTER REPEA PATENT OFFICE.

TO THE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOX-MAGAZINE FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N Application filed January 14, 1897.

Serial No. 6l9,134. No model.)

0. 597,908, dated January 25, 1898.

To all whom it -may concern.-

Be itknown that I, THOMAS C. JOHNSON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new ng Box-Magazine Lever-Guns; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, me, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a broken view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a gun containing my invention; Fig. 2, a detail sectional view on line a b of Fig. 1 and looking forward toward the rear end of the gun-barrel; Fig. 3, a detail sectional view on the line 0 d of Fig. 2 and looking downward' rel and the beveled forward end of the breechbolt; Fig. 4, a broken view showing'the lower end of the magazine and the cover in its open position, with the carrieror cradle in its reposition; Fig. 5, a detached view of thebox-magazine, shown partly in elevation and partlyin vertical section; Fig. 6, an enlarged detached perspective view of the rigid stirrup which provides for connectcnd of the magazine with the gun-frame and also provides a bearing for the pin on which the pivotal cover is suspended; Fig. 7, a detached perspective view of the carrier proper or cradle; Fig. 8, a similar view 5.0f the equalizing-lever; Fig. 9, an enlarged sectional view showing the projection'on the outer edge of the drawing-tooth of the carrier or cradle below the outer or lower face of the carrierarm in position to come into contact of the pivotal cover; Fig. 10, a partial view of the gun in transverse section, showing how the blocking-fingers rise between the side walls of the frame of the gun and the elastic side walls of the same from being spread open.

This invention relates to an improvement in breech-loading boxmagazine lever-iirci arms of the type having the lowercnds ol the I magazines made open and closed by means of a pivotal cover, which is swung into 1 its open position for feedin l by means of which the g the cartridges into the magazine through the bottom thereof, the object of my present invention being to produce a simple, compact, reliable, and efiicient gun, constructed with particular reference to the operation of. the carrier, to the stirrup employed for connecting the carrier with the gun-framc, and to constructing the rear end of the gun-barrel so as to avoid the fouling of the cartridges as they are fed forward by the breech-closing instrumentality.

With these ends in view myinvention consists in a carrier provided at its forward end with a finger which coacts with the cover for drawing the carrier into its closed position when the cover is opened.

Uyinvention further consists in an equalizing-lever having its cammed forward end arranged to coaot with the lowerend of the forward end wall of the box-magazine.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a sheet-metal box-magazine, of a stirrup applied to the lower corner of the forward end of its connection with the gun-frame and for the reception of the cover which closes the, open lower end of the magazine.

My invention further consists in a gun-ban 'r'el having its rear end extended into the receiver-chamber and beveled so as to act and give direction to the cartridges, thus preventing them from fouling as they are pushed-forward by the breech-closing instrumentality.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I form the rcarend of the carrier proper or cradle A with a web'A, arranged at a right angle to it and formed with astop-iinger A and a closingfinger A". The said web A has formed in it I at a point forward of the said lingers a transverse pivot-hole (L, which receives the pivot carrier or cradle is pivotally mounted by its rear end in the near end of the carrienarm C, which is sometimes called the carrier," but which I prefer to call the carricr-arm, as the real function of carrying the cartridges is performed by what I have called the carrier or cradle A.

the magazine and providing for The stop-tooth A before mentioned, engages with the web formed at the extreme rear. end of the carrier-arm for limiting the elevation of the carrier or cradle above the same,

while when the carrier or cradle is in its closed position thedrawing-tooth A projects very .leVeffiewhich oscillates upon a pivot E, the i rear end of this lever engaging with the under face of. the carrier or cradle for gradually lifting the same as'the arm is lifted, so as to equalize the position of the carrier or cradle and keep ,it in a substantially horizontal position throughout its entire upward movement.- The forward end of the said equalizing-lever is made comparatively wide and cammed by forming it with a notch E The said forward end of the lever instead of coacting with a transversely-arranged pin, as has heretofore been done, is designed to coact in the gun of my present invention directly with the rounded lower edge of the block F, which forms the forward end wall of the bdxmagazine F, which is made of sheet metal and the forward ends of the-side walls of which are secured to the said block by transverse rivets f, three in number, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the said block is reduced in thickness, as shown, for cooperation with the cammed forward end of the equalizing-lever. The forward face ofthe lower end of the said block is also formed with-a cam-surface F ,,which coacts with the cam-surface D, formed at the forward end of the carrier-armO,which is hung upon a transverse pivot C mounted in the forward end of the cover, which is slotted to permit the forward end of the carrier-arm to set down into it. The cover D is itself suspended upon =31? pivot G, located below the pivot C and sup ported at its ends in pivot-holes G G, formed in the depending side walls of the box-magazine stirrup G into which the lower corner of the forward end of the box-magazine is soldered or otherwise secured. The said stirrup is designed toreinforce the box-magazine, which will be made of comparatively light sheet. metal, and is secured in place by means of a pin G which passes through pin-holes G G, formed at opposite points in its for ward end, and also through suitably-located holes formed in the gun-frame H. An additional screw G entering the said gun-frame H and a tapped hole G formed inthe rear end of the-stirrup, steadies the same. This stirrup may be made of wrought or malleable metal and is designed, as aforesaid, tostiifen and reinforce the box-magazine, and also to provide convenient and eifective means for firmly connecting the same'with the gunframe. It also provides the heavy and stable bearing required for'the cover-pin, which is exposed to severer strain than the thin sheetse'aeos metal walls of the magazine are adapted to withstand. The stirrup is itself reinforced by transverse bridges G7 G By the employment of this stirrup I am enabled to very materially reduce the size and weight of the gun-frame, as when the stirrup is employed it is not necessary to extend the frame downward to afford a bearing for the pivotal cover. When the cover is closed, the drawing-tooth A will not be called-into operation; but when the cover is thrown into its open position, as shown in Fig. 4:, the carrier-arm G will be forced by the coaction of its cam G with the cam F of the block E of the box-magazine to the inner face of the cover. This in turn will bring the edge of the drawing-toothinto engagement with the inner face of the cover, whereby the carrier or cradleqwill be, forced by the lever-' age thus seeured'to assume a retired or closed a position, in which ithugs, so to speak, the inner, face of the carrier-arm. It is important that the carrier or cradle should thusbe com- I to assume a closed or retired position polled when the cover is open, so that it will be out of the'way and not interfere with the feeding of cartridges into the bottom of the box-magazine, or, on the other hand, so that itwill not r interfere with the same way.

In order to prevent the cartridges from fouling on the rear end of the barr'el, I form the barrel I with an upwardly-opening segmental flange I, having its inner edge beveled and extending rearward into the chamber of the withdrawing the cartridges in gun-frame or into what is sometimes called the receiver-chamber. Thisiiange is necessarily so located in order to insure the-performance of its function below the center of the barrel and, as shown, it extends above the same. It is intersected at a'point below the barrel by a slot 1 when the barrel is thus provided with a de-' fleeting-flange, the forward end of'the bolt is beveled, as at J in Fig, 3. It will be readily understood that in case the cartridges are deflected laterally one the carrier, however that maybe constructed, theymay get so far out of the central line side or the other upon which receives the ejector; but this slot will only be necessary v .110

of the barrel that they would foul on the,

rear end of the same if the gun were tilted to one side or the other if it were not for the described flange on'the barrel. With this flange the cartridges are at -ouc e deflected or thrown inward sufii'ciently, to cause them to invariably feed properly when the breechbolt begins to push them forward. This defleeting-flange is particularly usefuiin insur- '20 right end foremost.

30 top of the box-magazine is exposed at which ing the proper feeding of the cartridges, said lingers do prevent the gun from being which-are sometimes fed singly by hand into fouled by the crowding of cartridge 1n an the open upper end of the magazine and onto improper position into the open top of the 70 the carrier when the gun is used as a singlebox-magazine. The particulars hape of the loader. knuckle-like blocking-fingers K K may be I am of course aware that guns have before varied, as it is only necessary that they shall been adapted to be used as single-loaders be adapted in length, width, and thickness by providing for the manual introduction of to slide in between the inner faces of the side 75 single cartridges into the open upper ends of walls of the gun-frame and the lower ends of theirreceivers, and I do not therefore broadly said plates and the outer faces ofthe elastic claim .such a construction, but only my imside walls of the box-magazine at a point 1n proved deflecting-flange when the same is constructed and arranged substantially as shown, whereby cartridges are prevented i 5 from fouling on the rear end of the gun-bar- Inasmuch the other features of the gun 80 are not to be claimed in this case it is thought unnecessary to describe them, and they have een shown merely to show the improved parts in their rclaftion to a suitable gun organization.

I would have itunderstood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown Myimproved gun is constructed with particularreferenee, as has already been explained, to being loaded from the bottom of the boxmagazine, for which purpose the cover is thrown open. However, when the operating or finger lever K is thrown into its open position, as shown bybroken linesin Fig. 4, for the my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-x 1. In a box-magazine firearm,-the-combina- 95 tion with a box-magazine having its lower end open, of a pivotal cover hung by its forward end and adapted to normally close the open lower end of the box-magazine, a carrier-arm swung fromits forward end, and too extending rearwardly into the said box-magazine, a carrier having its'jar end pivotally into the gun, if desired, so that it may be used as a single-loader. It is desirable, however, to prevent a person unfamiliar with the gun 3 5 or a person maliciously disposed from blocking or clogging it by forcing a cartridge into the top of the magazine when the gun is open in an improper manner. lVith this end in view the arms K K, forming the forward 0 portion of the said lever, are constructed with forwardly and downwardly projecting knuckle-like blocking-fingers K K which when the lever is thrown into its fully-open position, in which it is shown in broken lines 5 by Fig. 4, occupy the spaces between the side walls of the gun-frame II and the upper porclosed or retired position when the cover itself is swung into its open position 'and an equalizing-lever pivotally mounted in the said carrier-arm, and engaging with the carrier to IIC cause the same to rise in right position.

2. In a box-magazine firearm, the combination with a box-magazine having its lower end open, of a cover for normally closing the open lower end of the magazine, a carrier 1 r 5 arm pivotally mounted in the said cover, an equalizing-lever pivotally mounted in the carrier-arm, and a carrier pivotally mounted'in the rear end of the carrier-arm, coacting with the said lever, and provided at its rear end 120 with a drawing-tooth which extends rearward of its pivot, and coacts with the-inner face of the cover for forcing the carrier into its closed or retired position when the cover is open.

11 a box-magazine firearm, the combina- 12 5 tion with a sheet-metal box-magazine having a solid block located within its forward end,

of the box-magazine F and the lower portions of the elastic combined guide and stop plates F'- F which are secured to and project above the said side walls of the magazine at the extreme rear ends thereof. The elastic side walls of the box-magazine and the lower portions of the said plates are thus blocked against being spread apart in case a person a cartridge into the open top of the box-magazine when the gun is opened in any manner but the proper one, or, in other words, in any other position but one in which the flange or the rear edges of the said plates. The said blocking-fingers do not therefore block the boa-magazine, so as to prevent the gun from lower end with a cam-surface; of a cover being used as single-loader, by the introducswung by its forward end andnormally closing the lower end of the box-magazine, a carrier-arm swung from its forward end, extendand'als o formed upon the forward face of its :ingrearwardly into the said box-magazine;

and-formed at its forward end with a cam which coacts with the cam-surface in the forward face of the lower end of the said block, a carrier having its rear end pivotally connected, with the said carrier-arm; and an equalizing-lever pivotally mounted in-the said carrier-arm, coacting at its rear end with the" carrier, and having its forward end constructt ed to coact with the cam-surface at the extreme lower end of the said block, whereby the employment-bf atransverselyerranged; independently-formed pin for coaction with the forward end of the equalizing-lever is dispensed with.

4. In a box-magazine firearm, the combination with a box-magazine having its lower end open, of a pivotal'cover for closingthe open lower end of the magazine, a carrier-arm pivotally mounted in the said cover, a carrier pivotally connected with the said carrier-arm, and an eqnalizing-leverpivotally mounted in the carrier-arm, coacting at'its rearend with the carrier, and having its forward end cammed' to coactwith the lower end of the forward end wall of the box-magazine.

5. In a box-magazine firearm, the combination with a sheet-metalboxi-magazine having its lower end open, of a rigid stirrup con-' nected with the gun-frame, adapted to receive the lower corner of the forward end of the stirrup. and pivotally "with, a carrier-arm having. its forward end the box-magazine, and having its side walls extended downward, a cover ,for normally closing the open lower end of the box-maga zine, having its'forward end inserted between the. said downwardlyfextended side walls of connected therepivotally connected with the forward end of the cover, a carrier having its rear end pivotally connected with the rear end of the carrier-arm, and an equalizing-lever pivotally mounted inthecarrler-arm and coactingwith the carrier to cause the same to lift in right position.

6. In a firearm adapted to be used as a single-loader by having cartridges introduced THOMAS (J. ohnson iVitnesses DANIEL H. VEADER,

A. W. EARLE. 

